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Have you ever tried to lift a 600 pound motorcycle back to
its upright position while fuel spills over the pavement faster than your ego
spills from your head? Five minutes earlier I had signed the paperwork for my
first motorcycle. Now it lay on its side in the dealership parking lot whilst I
struggled to get it back up on its kickstand. Gas continued to pool out around
the engine--I was reminded of the scene in a crime show when someone lying on
the ground from a gunshot wound and their blood is oozing out around their
skull.
It seemed like such a good idea at the time...
I had taken a two-day intensive training with 10 of the 16
hours spent riding around a track and learning how to safely maneuver a bike
amongst painted lines and cones. The class was well worth the money and I
cannot recommend it enough for new riders. If you successfully pass the BRC
(Basic Rider Class) you receive a certificate for your motorcycle endorsement
meaning you don't have to take any further traini…

536: That's what my odometer read on the way to the bus stop
this morning. It was a rainy 45 degrees. And I was on my motorcycle. My
motorcycle! The 536 miles represented not only the miles I put on my bike, but
also the total number of biker miles I had under my leather boots. It was the
first time in a week I had my bike out and, even though it was a short ride in
uncomfortable weather, it felt good. Almost a Zen-like experience.
My adventure in biking began as an innocuous conversation
with some friends. The husband had just bought a scooter and was telling my
wife and me the benefits of such a purchase. Later, after the dishes were
cleared and Jo and I were lying in bed I asked her what she thought of me
getting a scooter. She said, 'You're too big for a scooter; you'd look like a
dork—why not just buy a motorcycle?’

Now--stop everything and reread that last sentence. My wife
had just suggested I buy a motorcycle---nay, not just suggested but encouraged
the purch…